Hundreds of families lost everything in last year’s November 17th tornadoes that ripped through Pekin, East Peoria and Washington. Some recovery needs were met soon after with the help of insurance and government resources. But coming into the one year anniversary of the disaster, the Tri-County Long Term Recovery Center has been a constant provider of help for those who were impacted by the storms.
More than 1000 tornado victims have sought assistance from the Tri-County Long Term Recovery Center, in Washington since February. The center aims to make the process easy by pairing individuals and families with case managers. Recovery Center Chairman Jim Fassino says the case managers make requests for their clients to about 40 service agencies.
“We almost, monthly, have every one of those requests filled and have the funds available to meet those individual’s needs,” said Fassino.
Fassino says public donations have also helped pay for various requests. The center aids those impacted by the storms with everything from rental assistance to helping replace trees. The one-stop shop has helped nearly 700 clients with various needs. Mark Kwiat is a case manager at Long Term Recovery Center. He says many of those served had insurance.
“There’s bad cases; there’s good ones. But the bad ones that the people, what they had to deal with, with the insurance companies trying to get their money. They’re dealing with losing everything to begin with and now they have to work twice as hard to try to get that back. That’s probably been the hardest thing for me,” said Kwiat.
East Peoria resident Bud Broyles lived in a rental house that was damaged by the November 17th tornado. The volunteer storm spotter was picked up by the storm and thrown against his home, causing him to lose some teeth and fracture his jaw. But Broyles still found the strength to help others in his neighborhood.
After returning to his home, he found he had been robbed of valuable belongings like a snow blower, lawn mower and generator. His renter’s insurance company refused to cover the losses without proof of owning the equipment. Mold also developed in the home Broyles and his wife lived in because of the storm damage to the roof. He says the center helped his family move into a new rental house, and he’s not sure where they'd be today without that assistance.
“I might be living in a shelter because we had to get out of that house. Every piece of furniture we had, we had to throw out. Everything in our closets had to be thrown out. They had mold on them. What we didn’t realize was the mold from the basement was getting into the furnace and then transferring up,” said Broyles.
Broyles says his caseworker with Long Term Recovery Center also helped with medical expenses for his wife and dog related to mold exposure. He also received help fixing his teeth. But Broyles says the caseworker helped with much more than material possessions.
“I mean he would come by and make sure we’re ok. He would call and make sure we’re ok. We always felt like we had a true friend.”
Case manager Mark Kwiat says providing emotional support is part of the job.
“I can’t tell how many times I’ve broken down with them crying. It’s a rewarding job, but you see the hurt and you take it with you. You also get the reward of seeing when the people get recovered or you can assist them in a certain way and they didn’t think anyone was out there,” said Kwiat.
There are still more than 300 clients with open cases at the Long Term Recovery Center, and more people are coming forward seeking assistance. LTR Chairman Jim Fassino says there are two common requests the center is hearing from tornado victims.
“We’re seeing a lot more of the cases where people are trying to deal with the soil remediation, all of the debris that was impacted into the soil. And we’re seeing quite a number of homeowners who have been living in rental property helped funded by their insurance company, and those insurance funds are running out. So, we’re seeing a lot more rental assistance (requests) because the homes aren’t ready to return into at this point,” said Fassino.
Fassino says as more people move into their rebuilt homes, the center is also getting requests for furniture and various appliances. He says those seeking help are still encouraged to get in touch with the Long Term Recovery Center. Fassino says the LTR is prepared to remain open, serving tornado victims through most of next year.
Tornado victims seeking assistance should call the Tri-County Long Term Recovery Center at 309-696-6923. Those who would like to volunteer can call 309-573-2670. The website can be found here.